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Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Last summer was one of the busiest on record, buying, moving and two weddings!

While the summer was very busy, I started on some more autumnal colored circles for the first table runner for Monique.

You know I've recently had to put them aside as its all way tooooo addictive. Who knew I'd love hand applique of simple circles, as much as I do?

And her husband to be wanted something in red and blue.

And as I look back on it, its a total wonder how I managed to make anything with my sewing womb a total uproar. I'm culling and giving away to local good charities and still I have too much stuff!

But this Denim Wedding quilt was a 2017 finish and it completely went right by me!

Again, between moving and then buying, it was a hectic summer and I envy of you quilters who are so organized. But slowly I've gained ground with all this culling, its actually quite freeing and is allowing me to focus on what's important to me.

Getting out into the nature close to home and with my sweetie, we can pretend we are fully retired instead of the semi-retired life we live which is somehow busier than when we worked full time.

We are Islander's now and we embrace the beauty of Vancouver Island and all the friendly people too.

I have had fun with circles, its amazing what you can do with these little beauties! Add embroidery, more applique, the list goes on.

I really enjoy the Duncan Farmer's Market that run all year long!

And here are the final two wedding table runner's for Monique and Morgan.

Friday, September 21, 2018

I am happy to report progress is happening on several projects. Fall is upon us now, suddenly summer went without so much as a "see ya later" as I lay my head down to sleep one night. The next day it was fall. I know my hubby will laugh and say "You always say fall is here and its only September!" but my bones know for sure.

I have decided to add my contribution over at AHIQ:Improvisational Quilts to this year's challenge. Map Challenge. You can tell its fall with this awful photo! Dark, grey days of rain is the only outside light and my sewing womb overhead light sucks!

These blocks were just the beginning of my expression of Mind Mapping trails of my childhood.

When I started this challenge, I was thinking memories of my fond days as a child walking and playing in the wild bush of Northern B.C.

Its that time of year when dog pads need to be refreshed, cleaned and repaired. Rusty seems to need a little help with positioning. Her latest quilted pad is two layers of upcycled bedding blankets covered both sides with greyish broadcloth.

I cut apart the previous blocks that we already sewn together for our friends quilt in Telegraph Creek and have machine quilted them. I'm at the tedious part of knotting and threading the seam ends buried deep inside.

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Its clear I love a challenge, which is evident in the diverse array of quilts I've made so far. I have trudged on through mud and flowers in my quilts.

But as quickly as this challenge took a great leap in my head, I stitched away with a picture in my mind, but life got in the way of it and now, its gone into a treaded bin! Its not working for me, the flow is gone and so I was wasting a bit of time reading other blogs and I read through Kaja's long post that made me think.

Maybe that is my problem, I'm over thinking this thing. You know we all do that sometimes. And while my spare time for any quilting it hitting an all time low, I am peristant!

Kaja's flow is interesting where she gathers fabric together in color selections that appeal to her. It doesn't mean anything at the beginning she says, but then the muse visits and voila! But her process of restacking, adjusting to make bundles of colors, prints and solids all in one batch that really caught my eye.

Could I do that and begin again on Maps Challenge?

Of course, this is not high school where the school marm is going to ring up my Mother and complain about Caroline's high strung temper tantrums in class. If I can land a fish 37 lbs from the Bulkley River all by myself, I can start again, and do I did.

This selection of green fabrics represent the treed landscape I live in. The grey prints represent highways. Its a new beginning for me and who knows where this one will go either?

But that is really the fun of it all, isn't it to stumble and get back on trail again!

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

From time to time we meet new quilters from across the globe. Sometimes, its at a retreast and sometimes at shows, but I've had the good fortune to meet all sorts of new quilters by participating in Benita's Quilters Meet and Greet.

For some of you, the link didn't work, so I'm including the same link above to visit ALL the fabulous quilters who have joined Benita to officially launch Benita new blog. Please do pop over and see the enormous amount of interesting things that Benita's Membership offers and to enter her One Huge Prize.

Now, moving along to my Klassen Forest Fire Quilt. I've come down with a back attack that has convinced me that I can only do the free motion quilt as you go method. So I have cut up the entire quilt seen below into blocks.

I know what caused this back attack. I had a wee visit from vertigo which needed the Epley Manuever done to me to stop the vertigo. In fact, while on the table getting the manuever done, the table was slippery and I struggled to get my body turned over.

Anyway, a weekend using a cane hobbling around like an old lady is enough for me to completely go a different direction-QAYGO block construction. This gives me the right size blocks to work on each individually.

I'm sure you are aware of QAYG method and this is where I re-start this project.

A back attack will not keep me from meeting my goals of completing this quilt as soon as possible.

Up next is one of my long time favorites Mexa-Cali Heat Round Robin Quilt that is almost done. Border plan has been drafted and is ready to start cutting and piecing.

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Hello again to all quilters and welcome to new quilters reading my post for the first time here at Good Earth Quilting. Its not winter yet, thankfully, but this photo is one that I'm sharing to show the loss these two folks have suffered at the long handed flames of forest fires in B.C. this summer. This home and barns took a lifetime to build and these two are now grand-parents, but still pioneers.But the loss to a forest fire is so devastating and must be crushing for our friends.

This summer has been hot and firey, with so many forest fires, the province is still in a declared "State of Emergency" across the whole province. We can help in some small way, maybe a quilt will help to heal the loss.

Sadly, my hubby and I learned just a few days ago of the loss to our friends' home and barns in Telegraph Creek seen behind our friends who live a rugged life in the remote community of Telegraph Creek.

We have know each other for eons it seems and we are so very sad to learn of their loss. My husband was Best Man at their wedding and we've shared food, shelter and fun over 5 decades. Their daughter and family also lost their home too. They have found refuge in the Interior of B.C.

This quilt top is becoming their new quilt.

This quilt is one top with many stories. First made for a project that went unfinished, it was given to another group who later gave it back to me with hopes of finding a good use for it.

For John and Jenny, I intend to make it larger with borders of hand pieced log cabin blocks as seen. It will be in the process for a few more weeks still.

Perhaps you have a top or two that can be donated to this good cause?

Contact me if you can participate and pay to ship the finished quilt to the address I'm waiting for as I write this post.

But with phone lines and broadband internet down as well, it could take some time to confirm this address, as I'm not convinced mail service is getting to this community yet?

email me at carli the quilter at gmail dot com

Changing topics a wee bit. If you are new to my work, the mountain peice below was part of the 2013 Smithers Centennial Quilt which is in the care of Town of Smithers. I was part of a team of talented people who are listed in an additional post.(Links below)

While this summer our province is more like a swirling sun from Susan Carlson's art book than the green gem forest of the Pacific Ocean of Canada. Recently relocated to permanent life on Vancouver Island I look forward to teaching workshops at guilds and groups who love hand stitching and upcycling!

So the first thing about me is that I love to be outdoors, preferably walking in the forest, I love the west coast and the beautiful mountain and shoreline trails.

I fell in love with thread painting in 2016, planning on doing more of this technique!

Camping and fishing is my hobby second ONLY to stitching. I am a prolific hand stitcher and slowly able to spare time for my blog and writing of my experiences of upcycling in all its forms.

But you know how that goes, you make an error and suddenly you have a new improv quilt. When I first started making my wee baby quilts in 1980's, I had not heard of Improv Quilts. But I happily made quilts and clothing for my two wee babies from all sorts of adult sized clothing.Hey do you have an instagram account? Follow me: carlithequilter

I raise my defiant hand and say its never too late to learn a new way of doing things. Its my firm belief that longevity is connected to being passionate about something, anything, that and good healthy lifestyle!

The other thing about me as a quilter is I'm constantly striving, learning, evaluating, writing and sewing by hand and machine. I rarely watch TV without a hand project on the go. 365 Circles kept my hands nimble for months. And I enjoy the work of others who share my love of quilting, upcycling, designing and pattern making.

I have a fun project coming with these circles as I have made way too many to use in one quilt.

This year, I returned to my high school days making my own clothing, embroidering classmates jeans for income and writing poetry. Upcycling my own clothing has become a staple in my sewing room and in my handwork basket.

Upcycled Denim from numerous upcycled jeans going into this gifted wedding present for my nephew and is bride.

The top in progress above is one of my Improv Quilts started last year. I may incorporate it into my Map Challenge that I'm also participating with this year over at AHIQ Improvisational Quilts.

But not a new comer to quilting! Benita hails from Eastern Canada, she lives remotely area off grid. You will be heartily surprised and happy you've visited her full site for sure, so read to the end and leave me a comment, then pop back and visit her new blogging site at: Benita Skinner's Creative Space

Plus, as a blogger participating with Quilters Meet and Greet, I am one who will most certainly visit all the other participating quilter blogs and ENTER to win her most awesome ONE HUGE GRAND PRIZE.

The winner will be chosen October 1st. Follow Benita's Blog to learn all about her pattern business, tips on quilting, great easy quilt backing layouts for beginners.